Griffin Responds - Partially

"A recent report in the Orlando Sentinel suggested that NASA is not cooperating with members of President-elect Obama's transition team currently working at Headquarters. This report, largely supported by anonymous sources and hearsay, is simply wrong."

Editor's note: Of course the witnesses who have provided information on your comments do so anonymously, Mike. That is due to the way that you deal with dissent at your agency.

"The Sentinel report quoted NASA's chief of strategic communications, Chris Shank, as acknowledging that Griffin felt the transition team members dealing with NASA lacked the engineering expertise to make a proper assessment of some of the information they have been given."

"Sources close to the transition team said Thursday that Garver and her five colleagues until now have been getting cooperation from "most" NASA staff on most programs except Constellation. According to one very informed official, "[Griffin's office] is definitely resisting, and telling others to resist." The team, however, does not appear to be intimidated."

"John Logsdon, former director of the Space Policy Institute of George Washington University, said he could see but not hear the conversation as he signed books across the room. "No voices were raised. No blows were struck. It was an eyeball to eyeball in the sense of two people having an intense discussion, people gingerly walking around them," Logsdon said. "These kind of conversations are going on all over town now. But almost all of them are behind closed doors. What's different on this one is that it was in a public setting."

"There is natural tension," said John Logsdon, a space historian who has served as director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University. "The transition team is asking questions that are on everyone's mind. The NASA administrator is saying, 'Trust me. You don't need to ask these questions.' The transition team can't accept that response."

Categories:

A Message From the NASA Administrator\n\n\"A recent report in the Orlando Sentinel suggested that NASA is not cooperating with members of President-elect Obama's transition team currently working at Headquarters. This report, largely supported by anonymous sources and hearsay, is simply wrong.\"\n\n Editor's note: Of course the witnesses who have provided information on your comments do so anonymously, Mike. That is due to the way that you deal with dissent at your agency.\n\nNASA transition sparks sharp talk, MSNBC\n\n\"The Sentinel report quoted NASA's chief of strategic communications, Chris Shank, as acknowledging that Griffin felt the transition team members dealing with NASA lacked the engineering expertise to make a proper assessment of some of the information they have been given.\"\n\nGriffin says he is cooperating but some don't agree, Orlando Sentinel\n\n\"Sources close to the transition team said Thursday that Garver and her five colleagues until now have been getting cooperation from \"most\" NASA staff on most programs except Constellation. According to one very informed official, \"[Griffin's office] is definitely resisting, and telling others to resist.\" The team, however, does not appear to be intimidated.\"\n\nMajor NASA Kerfuffle, Achenblog, Washington Post\n\n\"John Logsdon, former director of the Space Policy Institute of George Washington University, said he could see but not hear the conversation as he signed books across the room. \"No voices were raised. No blows were struck. It was an eyeball to eyeball in the sense of two people having an intense discussion, people gingerly walking around them,\" Logsdon said. \"These kind of conversations are going on all over town now. But almost all of them are behind closed doors. What's different on this one is that it was in a public setting.\"\n\nEarly friction plagues talks between NASA, Obama team, Houston Chronicle\n\n\"There is natural tension,\" said John Logsdon, a space historian who has served as director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University. \"The transition team is asking questions that are on everyone's mind. The NASA administrator is saying, 'Trust me. You don't need to ask these questions.' The transition team can't accept that response.\"

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